Farewell Deutschland and coaching colleagues

July 6th, 2011

This morning it was a little harder to rally, however we all seemed to be fairly giddy and goofy on the bus which made five hours pass rather quickly.  There was a moment when I felt like I was at adult sleep away camp and I loved it!  No sleeping for most of us, we were busy exchanging practice notes and comparing sessions we had scribbled down in previous days- it’s always a good idea to have legible notes if you ever want to implement a session/drills.  Checklist for today: all remaining Euros, newly purchased US gear and our last white bagged lunches for the trip(something we were all ready to say goodbye to).  Off to Wolfsburg we go.  

Frank was completely honest with us when he said in the ten years he’s spent living in Germany he had never been to this city, has no idea what it has to offer and can’t promise anything.  Wolfsburg is the home of Volkswagen, Das Auto, and consequently had outlet shopping walking distance from the VW factory.  Cooler than the outlet malls was the obstacle course (or what appeared to be) that was set up for testing out the VWs.  Inclines, rocky cliffs, drawbridges and simulated street floods.  The remaining Euros came in handy and the bridge connecting Das Auto to the actual city of Wolfsburg was convenient.  Outlet shopping is the same abroad- Nike, Polo, Calvin Klein, Adidas, Puma, LeCreuset- you name it. Following some impulse shopping, we grabbed a pre-game meal on “fan row” which was hoping with fans, food and lots of German bier.  The walk to the stadium was less than fifteen minutes and it was clear most non Swedish Europeans chose to support Sweden.  It was the first game we attended that was not sold out.  Blonds were plentiful and US fans were loud and obnoxious just like they are here at American sporting events.  Watching the Swedish national team warm up it was evident we had met our match physically.  We started flat, just seemed a bit tired and not as enthused as the previous two games and at half it was clear.  In all honesty, it was difficult to watch.  Megan Rampinoe got the start today because Heather O’Reily had a pulled groin and it was unclear if Kelly O’Hara was ready for her first few minutes in today’s match.  I must say I remain puzzled with our left back and today did not soothe my worries the least.  Stephanie Cox came in the second half giving us immediate energy and a drive to get forward, but is she as effective one on one defensively…?  Solo and Rampone remain solid even without a shutout tonight.  Leaving the stadium was unsettling because this meant that we would face Brazil come Sunday and most of us recall Brazil beat our US team at the last World Cup in 2007. The household name, Marta, is most definitely a force to be reckoned with, she is crafty and can make something out of nothing.  We had to lift spirits with a group gathering in town.

July 7^th, 2011

My last day in Germany- rise and shine and a five hour bus ride back to Hennef.  Today we were exhausted, no question about it.  We stopped at a rest stop for lunch and had a great meal in the cafeteria.  “Great” would be in the eye of the diner, some of us dined German style with sausage, rolls, split pea soup etc.  Others indulged in some good ol’ BK aka Burger King.  Burgers, fries, milkshakes, it was apparent the hard rolls cheese sandwiches and deli meats were not cutting it for our American group.  I am proud to say I stuck to German food the duration of the trip, snagged a fry here and there, so I was the annoying grazer, but managed to refrain from eating American fast food.  When we returned to Hennef Sportschule we had one last game of pick up.  EVERYONE participated.  At this time I will call out JR, who is a coach from Long Island, had not played in any of the sessions, but somehow his MCL was on point this afternoon and he laced up the boots and played on our back line- well done JR.  Randy tweaked his hamstring within minutes of our game, but stayed strong, scored a few goals and created opportunities.  Coaches forget we have to warm up too;)

Our final dinner was at a golf course/club about 1.5km away through the woods and across the greens.  The meal was delicious and the ambiance and company even better.  We thanked our leaders, hosts and liaisons and dined in style.  Tonight was a fabulous way to end a ten day trip abroad with strangers turned friends.

Needless to say, this trip exceeded all expectations and I hope that’s conveyed through my blogging.  To say the NSCAA course was educational would be an understatement;  I left Germany feeling enthusiastic, rejuvenated and motivated to continue serving the soccer community and promoting women’s soccer in the states and beyond.  We are always representing more than ourselves and from the epic win over Brazil (Sunday afternoon) we were all reminded how much of an impact sports and belief to win can make. 

Professionally, I learned a great deal from seasoned and experienced coaches.  I feel as though I have an even greater understanding of the game.  Culturally, I experienced German futbal, particularly women’s futbal and the significant potential impact of a World Cup victory.  The entire trip I was soaking up the World Cup energy and I truly felt a part of our US Women’s National Team squad.  As I end my blog and continue watching our women’s team advance I believe a few things are evident.  The power to overcome obstacles can never be taken away from an individual and even more a team with a vision, plan and leadership, the 2011 World Cup in Germany may have a lasting impact on Germany, even more Europe, in promoting female futbalers or it may be a short lived celebration.  (I am hoping for the former) The US appears far more advanced as far as appreciating the women’s futbal players and that was refreshing to see.  May the game live on at home and abroad!

I would like to thank a few people: Frank Carr for encouraging me to apply for a professional development grant, Lyn Miller and the Earlham Professional Development committee for allowing this trip to happen, Jamie Gluck for reminding me that taking a trip like this is a once in a lifetime experience and for my players for their passion and our teamwork!

Stay tuned for US vs. France on Wednesday, July 13th